JJ Bean opening downtown location at Dunsmuir and Richards

This will be the 18th location for the local café and roaster chain, and owner John Neate tells Vancity Buzz they are prepping their shop at Dunsmuir and Richards to open the first week of January 2016.

Situated next door to another forthcoming restaurant, Field & Social, JJ Bean will occupy the corner (and generously windowed) of the Labour Temple, a century-old building with some exciting architectural charms.

Neate details the renovations and build-out underway, noting that they will preserve much of the raw concrete and plaster of one wall, giving the original paint a clear coat. The building also boasts big steel seismic braces that were par for the course in structures of the Labour Temple’s era. “It’s just gorgeous,” adds Neate.

Marble will be making an impressive and creative showing in the JJ Bean interior, with a custom-designed and assembled herringbone style wall, and a terrazo tile-inspired almost mosaic-style floor that will be unlike any other in Vancouver.

Coffee lovers will have their choice of about 20 traditional seats or spots at any of three wooden community tables. Also, as a bit of a location bonus, Neate is particular happy the JJ Bean faces a plaza-style park with plentiful seating–perfect for sipping lattes and drip coffees. The plan is to add patio seats, as well, paperwork permitting.

The menu at the new JJ Bean location will mirror the others, though Neate anticipates they may not be able to offer soup as they do elsewhere because of space limitations.

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With the exciting additions to the Labour Temple and the forthcoming changes at the Canada Post site and the new Vancouver Art Gallery, there is a lot to look forward to enjoying along Dunsmuir in this part of Downtown.

We’ll check back in with images from inside the new JJ Bean as they get closer to opening.